Fire and gas defense system.



R. JOY.

FIRE AND GAS DEFENSE SYSTEM.

APPUCATION HLED APR-25.1917. 1 ,277,728. Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Amun-nys '3. JOY.

FIRE AND GAS DEFENSE SYSTEM.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Fay: 4

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR A11-o RNEYS lll STATS PATENT FFICE.

ROBERT JOY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

FIRE AND GAS DEFENSE SYSTEM.

Application filed April 25, 1917.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Ronn'r JOY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire and Gas Defense Systems, of which the following is a specilication.

rlhe system herein described may be known as the lire and gas system.

This system for military defense consist of an entrance tunnel which can be constructed one, two or three miles back of forts, buildings or lines of defense. The entrance tunnel leads into a shaft, the size and depth of which will be determined according to the nature of the ground. At the bottom of said shaft there will be a series of tunnels constructed to suit the surface lines of defense. The first parallel tunnel entered from the bottom of said shaft will be known as the third line tunnel, the second tunnel entered from the bottom of the shaft will be known as the second line tunnel, and the third line tunnel will be known as the dummy tunnel.

T he invention includes containing tanks, piping, valves, pumps and details of construction which will be hereinafter more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view showing the chambers at the bottom of the shaft and the tunnels and connection with the shaft.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the shaft, chamber, and the entrance tunnel.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. il is a cross section on line 4 l of Fig. 1.

The entrance tunnel Hv consists of store and sleeping rooms 2 which can be made in sections and out of cast steel. The inner end of this tunnel opens into the upper end of a vertical shaft E from the bottom of which extends the tunnel 3 is a machine gun for the protection of said entrance tunnel H. 4e is a half-inch pipe attached to a hand and power pump 5, located at the bottom of the shaft. From thence it leads to the mouth of the entrance tunnel H and is attached to a regulating valve and a spark battery (not shown), so that when a pressure of fifteen pounds or more is in said pipe it will automatically open said Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Serial No. 164,589.

valve and make a contact with said batteryT which will produce a spark and ignite gasolene and immediately cover the mouth of the entrance tunnel H in a sheet of iame. This same half-inch pipe will also carry anhydrous ammonia which will also en volop the mouth of the tunnel H with ammonia gas, and render an entrance by the enemy impossible. If the ammonia gas should fail to protect the mouth of the tunnel H, use gasolene; if gasoline should fail, use the machine guns. A cast steel door is located in a convenient place in said ent 1ance tunnel H, so that when ammonia gas is used the door could be closed to keep the gas from blowing in on the defenders of said tunnel.

29 is an air duct leading to all parts of the system for ventilation; 6 is a. cast steel support to firmly secure the I-beam construction 7 and enable it to withstand heavy shocks without crumbling; and 8 is a platform built around the shaft E. Above this shaft is a protective structure which may be made in any suitable manner and covered with a layer of soil 10 and sod 9. As here shown it is formed as follows: 11 is reinforced concrete; 12 represents steel I-beam; 13 is an attachment for hoisting machine; and 14 represents tie rodsfor bonding the I-heams together, which can be constructed to provide the greatest possible resistance against the modern shell. The I-beams 12 and the reinforced concrete 11 will be constructed according to the nature of the ground. y

The numerals 15 designate gasolene tanks, the location, capacity, construction and installation will be determined by the Anature or condition of the lines of the defense and the nature of the ground. The same disposition will be made of the ammonia, tanks 16. The valve, pipes and bypasses are so constructed and attached to the gasolene tanks 1 5, ammonia tanks 16 and oil tank 17 that they will enable the engineer to pump out any one tank for repairs in case of leakage. They will also enable the engineer to pump out the discharge side of the system and deposit the various elements, gasolene, refrigerating oil and ammonia into their respective tanks without waste or mixing of the same. The tanks of ammonia and gasolene used for the original charge of the system will be permanently installed in some convenient place in case of'accidents, leaks or changes to be A made in the system, so that the engineer could pump out therentire system and deposit the same in the original tanks.

Each valve and pipe will bear a tag containing its specific duty. 18 is` the machine or power pump that will discharge the anhydrous ammonia and gasolene to the surface of the earth, or lines of defense, through the liquid pipe 19. 20 is the sump pump. 22 is the discharge pipe of the sump pump 2O discharging into a sewer constructed for that purpose. 23 is a pumping out pipe; 24; is a suction pipe from the gasolene tanks; 25 represents by-pass pipes; 26 is the discharge pipe to the ammonia tanks 16; 27 is the suction p'ipefrom the refrigeratng oil tank; and 28 represents vent pipes for the gasolene and ammonia tanks.

Parallel tunnel C will be known as the third line tunnel and parallel tunnel B will be lknown. as the second line tunnel. 1a shows a series of ammonia and gasolene expansion valves inthe tunnels B and C, connected to the liquid vpipe 19 for the purpose of discharging ammonia gas and'gasolene to the surface of the earth or'the lines of defense..

The expansion valve 1?* permits the ammonia gas to pass into the discharge pipe 5a, and thence to the surfacepof the earth.- 4J* is a by-pass pipe to be used when pumping gasolene, as the ammonia expansion valve 1a would not be large enough to permit a suliicient quantity o f gasolene to pass through to Hood the surface of the earth. 6a is aycement foundation built to carry the liquid pipe 19 and is installed directly under each surface discharge pip'e, which latter will be bent, as shown at 5b, before being v cemented in the ground to enableY said pipe to offer a much greater resistance.

Y Tf the discharge pipe 5a is struck by the .enemys shell, it will be torn and bent and the end of said pipe may be almost closed up. If such should bethe ca se, then the pipe would immediately become an Vexpansion valve which would become still more destructive to the enemy. If debris should fall on the top or end ofthe discharge pipe 5a,

in a few moments there would be such a pressure in saidpipe as wouldcut itself a passage and the ammonia. gas would escape just the same.l The same discharge pipe 5L will carry the-gasolene tothe surface of the earth or lines of defense.

13a indicates a telephone or other signaling station, from which communication may be made to any part of the system. When the officer incharge of the system is ordered to use gasolene, the telephone operator will vdiary bomb to ignite the gasolene.

tioned at the lexpansion valves laL will be ordered to open the by-pass valvek 4ta which will permit large volumes of gas to be poured on the surface of the ground; then orders would be given to throw an incen- This would terrify and confuse the enemy and their horses.

If the enemy go around the buildings or forts, they will lind the same conditions to deal with at every place. Therefore` it would keep the enemy4 uncovered and exi posed to the guns'of the defenders. Furthermore, this system could be installed in mountain passes and narrow confines where the enemy must pass or travel with their big guns and horsesV and heavy machinery in order to reach the desired point. The enemy could be decoyed into the center of the system and absolutely destroyed in less than two minutes.

The discharge pipes 5fL (Fig. 4) leading to the surface of the earth can berinstalled about two to three hundred feet apart, iigures according Vto the conditions and lines of defense. One-quarter, one-half or the whole of this system can be used at a time, if found necessary. The engineer in charge could always tell how the system is working by his gage pressure and O'age glass, on the ammonia and gasolene tanks, and would govern himself accordingly.

The second line tunnel B is constructed the same as the third line tunnel with the exception that the expansion valves will be installed as shown on the drawing (Fig. 1) or .staggered relative to those of the third line tunnel.

be in war time, and the guards could be trained to be keen on` sound. Providing'- the enemy did approach, andY was discovered and located, a hole could be drilled into their chamber or tunnel and a three-eighths eXtra heavy pipe could be driven in and attached to the blank 7a (Fig. 1), provided for that purpose, and the ammonia turned on which would render the enemys tunnel useless. If the enemy has actually yentered the dummy tunnel A, the guards would immediately pass` out and close the cast steel doors 8a, 9aV

and 10a. The expansion Valve 11a would then be turned on to effecta discharge of ammonia from the nozzles 12a, the ammonia i ammonia end of the machine orpump; 16aV is the power end of the pump; 17a is the discharge pipe to the sewer from the power end of the machine 16a; 21 is the discharge pipe to the gasolene tanks 15 (Fig. 2) and 18n is the feed pipe to the power end of the machine 16u, also to the sump pump 20 (see Fig. 2).

The surface end or outlet of the discharge pipe trL will be capped in time of peace and the sys)tem filled with refrigerating oil (see Fig. 4

A sufficient number of men to operate all parts of the system and the whole being in readiness, in the operation of the system, if the enemy has been victorious upon the surface and is approaching, orders are telephoned down to the ocer in charge in the telephone room, who passes the word to the engineer to charge the discharge side of the system. In less than two minutes these orders may be carried out. By this time the enemy may have stormed and captured the forts, etc. Orders then will be communicated to each man stationed at the expansion valve to open and move the indicator to a given point. Immediately the surface of the forts, buildings and lines of defense will be enveloped in the fumes of anhydrous ammonia. 1

The operation with gasolene will be the same as with ammonia with these additional orders. The engineer will be ordered to change over to gasolene and the men stationed at the eXpension valves will be ordered to open by-pass valve 4a (Fig. 4f). When the surface of the earth and forts have been fairly well covered with gasolene, the olicer in the telephone room, when notified by the engineer that so many thousand gallons of gasolene have been pumped on the surface of the system, will immediately telephone to the oiicer in charge of the hidden guns to throw an incendiary bomb on the system and ignite the gasolene which would envelop the system in a sheet of flames.

This system can be installed in mountain passes and narrow confines where the enemy is forced to pass with their big guns and heavy machinery. The enemy could be entrapped in the center of the system and destroyed in a short time. There are ofttimes conditions existing Vin mountain passes that this system could be installed, so that when the enemy has been enticed over the lines it would make it impossible to retreat which would mean surrender or be destroyed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.` An underground defense comprising a plurality of upwardly extending discharge pipes, terminating below the top surface of the ground, and means for expelling a poisonous gas through said pipes so that the gas will rise up from the surface of the ground.

2. A defense system comprising a series of concealed parallel tunnels, with intercommunicating passages, a working chamber and storeroom located interiorly to said passages, gates so disposed as to control the passages from the successive tunnels, a rcceptacle for an asphyxiating medium under compression, pipes leading therefrom to the tunnels and passages, and controlled valves to allow direction and discharge to be effected.

3. In a defense system of the character described, a series of separated tunnels, with an intermediate connecting passage and controlling gates, receptacles for ammonia Oas under compression, an interior cham er within which they are located, pipes leading from the receptacles, with nozzles and valves therefor opening into the tunnels, and means located in the chamber to control the discharge within the tunnels.

4. A defensive system of the character described, including a series of parallel, interconnected tunnels with intermediate controlling gates, an interior chamber with ammonia and gasolene tanks, pipes leading therefrom and discharging within the tunnels, and controls located within the inner chamber.

5. A system for defense consisting of a series of underground connecting tunnels, a chamber connected therewith, receptacles for asphyxiating and combustible gases and liquids in the chamber. surface discharge pipes connected with the receptacles, and controlling means therefor.

6. A system of defense comprising a series of underground connected tunnels with a main communicating chamber, asphyxiating gas and combustible liquid receptacles, discharge pipes and pressure apparatus, an entrance tunnel connecting with said main chamber, pipes leading from the receptacles into the entrance chamber, and discharge nozzles in said pipes, with controlling means in the main chamber.

7. In a system of defense of the character described, a central underground chamber with asphyXiating gas and combustible liquid tanks therein, tunnels connected with the bottom of the chamber, pipes connecting with both tanks having by-pass passages and leading into the tunnels, discharge nozzles from said pipes to the surface of the ground above, valves controlling the discharge from either Vor both sets of tanks, and an entrance tunnel communicating with the upper part of said chamber.

n `8. A system of the character described, including a central subterranean chamber with gas and liquid tanks and connected pipes and pressure devices, a tunnel radiating from the chamber, pipes connecting with both sets of tanks leading to the tunnels, having nozzles within the tunnels and to the surface Vand by-pass and combining pipes, means to circulate the/,gas and fluid under pressure, and communicating means between the chamber and tunnels.

9. A defense system comprising a plurality of upwardly extending vdischarge pipes terminating below the top surface of the ground, a source of fuel arranged beneath the top surface of the ground, and means for discharging the fuel from said pipes into the ground so as to saturate the same for subsequent ignition.

l0. In a defense system, a shaft having a `laterally extending tunnel intersected by a plurality of transverse tunnels, means for closing the fir-st tunnel against the outer transverse tunnel, and means for introducing an asphyxiating medium in the tunnels. ll. In a defense system, a shaft having a laterally eXtend-ingtunnel intersected by a plurality of transverse tunnels, fuel tanks arranged in the upper part of the4 shaft, gas tanks disposed beneath the fuel tanks, and pipes leading from the tanks through the tunnels, the gas pipes discharging in the latter and the fuel pipes discharging into the ground above the tunnels.

12. In a .defense system, a shaft having a laterally extending tunnel intersected by a plurality of transverse tunnels, fuel tanks arranged in the upper part of the shaft, gas tanks disposed beneath the fuel tanks, pipes leading from the tanks through the tunnels, a reinforced roofing above the shaft, and a Y barrierencircling the shaft. n

`In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Y ROBERT JOY. Witnesses:

JoHN H. HERRING, W. HEALnY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve lcents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ratents,

Washington, D. C. 

